Book Review--Gone by Michael Grant

Cover Image/Summary from Goodreads:

"In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else..."

Review:


When I first heard about Gone, I instantly loved the premise and the idea. It just sounded so intriguing and new. But I never picked it up, perhaps it was because of the length--558--I was a bit intimidated. I have to give credit for The Girls In the Stacks who started a Gone book club. That was when I finally picked up Gone. I am so thankful I decided to participate, because Gone was just as amazing as it sounds and maybe even more.

We are introduced to many characters: Sam, Astrid, Quinn, Lana, Caine, Diana, and many more. Everyone 15 and older disappears, and there are no more adults in their world, the FAYZ. They must somehow figure out how to survive. But some kids just have the addictive nature that is power that takes over, and soon becomes a war. Fighting to become the leader of the FAYZ. Not only is it chaotic, but some kids have super powers, and some animals are mutating. Among the confusion, they need to figure out why the FAYZ happened.

At first, I was overwhelmed by how many characters there was in Gone. I usually don't enjoy books with too many characters, since it becomes too confusing, and I just give up trying to connect to every one of them. But here, Michael Grant has done a great job with the characters. Each character is mentioned over and over again, so there was no way I could forget who was who. I kind of loved every character, they all had their own personality and goals in the FAYZ. I also loved that in the midst of confusion, Sam and Astrid can still find love.

The plot--just wow. I found myself frequently flipping through the pages to find out what happened. Intensity was a big one! I definitely am confused--in a good way-- because I kept wanting more, more, and more! Michael creatively crafts and molds the characters and blends them perfectly into the conclusion and the epic war. The resolution was definitely the most fast-paced: the hours are narrowing down to Sam and Caine's 15th birthday! The aspect with the coyotes was a little disturbing and I didn't like it quite much. I'd say that was the weirdest (not in a good way) part of the book.

So overall, Gone was a really fun read, definitely interesting and something to check out. I found myself astounded throughout the whole book, how these  14 and under kids are driving cars, going on speed chases, shooting guns. Wow. Michael Grant makes it all so believable. Definitely a must read if you love Sci-Fi/Dystopian!

Grade: A

Gone (Amazon, B&N) is now out!


Source: Library